Latest Advice and Guidance

This page highlights our most recent advice and guidance on a wide range of heritage-related topics. All of our advice is free to download from relevant sections of the website and the Publications pages.

This advice note explains how significance can be retained and enhanced through well-informed maintenance and sympathetic development, provided that repairs, design and implementation are carried out to a high standard.

Updated selection guides

In December 2017 we published updated versions of our 20 thematically-arranged listing selection guides. The guides give detailed guidance on what may be eligible for listing and are available to download from our Listing Selection Guides webpage.

The Setting of Heritage Assets - this document sets out guidance on managing change within the settings of heritage assets, including archaeological remains and historic buildings, sites, areas, and landscapes.

This document, comprising an update to a Risk Management Handbook, describes a methodology to be adopted by Historic England, contract archaeologists, licensees and others engaged in the risk assessment and risk management of England’s Historic Wreck Sites.

This guidance provides technical advice to help prevent conflicts between energy efficiency requirements in Part L of the Building Regulations and the conservation of historic and traditionally constructed buildings.

This guide aims to promote wider awareness of the rich heritage of water meadows. It is intended primarily for nature conservation groups, farmers, landowners, communities or individuals undertaking habitat ‘restoration’ work on historic water meadows.

This advice explains how significance can be retained and enhanced through well-informed maintenance and sympathetic development, provided that repairs, design and implementation are carried out to a high standard.

What you told us

In 2017 we commissioned Pye Tait Consulting to research whether Historic England's written advice and guidance provides the right information to the right audiences in the most effective way.

We are very grateful to everyone who took part in this study and shared their views.

The review found that overall our advice and guidance is well received and trusted. However, you told us that it isn't always easy to find the right advice and guidance on our website and we are looking at ways to improve that.

The report also highlighted that the sheer volume of available advice and guidance from a range of different organisations can make it difficult for users to know where to go first (especially people who don't need to access this advice very often). The report recommends greater collaboration to minimise the risk of duplication, strengthen content and improve cross-promotion.

The Audience Insights Report is available to download from our website.